Head of Channel Partners

The Opportunity

The Head of Channel Partners is a senior sales leader responsible for building, scaling, and leading AFA’s channel partner organization. This role owns the overall strategy and performance of AFA’s channel ecosystem — including credit union leagues, trade associations, consulting partners, and other third-party distribution relationships — and leads the Channel Partner team. This is a player-coach role: accountable for the highest-priority strategic partner relationships while leading the broader team responsible for day-to-day partner management and pipeline development.

What You'll Do

Channel Partner Strategy and Ecosystem Development

•     Own and continuously evolve AFA’s channel partner strategy, including partner segmentation, program design, onboarding architecture, and performance standards.

•     Identify and prioritize high-value channel partner opportunities, including credit union leagues, CUNA, NAFCU, trade associations, consulting firms, and other referral and distribution partners.

•     Develop and manage channel partner agreements, incentive structures, and co-investment frameworks that drive accountability and mutual revenue growth.

•     Build a scalable, institutionalized channel program with clear partner tiers, activation playbooks, and performance review cycles.

Strategic Partner Relationship Ownership

•     Serve as AFA’s most senior executive point of contact for the highest-priority channel partners.

•     Develop joint business plans with key strategic partners, including shared revenue targets, activation milestones, and co-marketing commitments.

•     Represent AFA at industry conferences, league events, trade shows, and partner-sponsored forums to build brand visibility and expand the partner network.

•     Build executive-level relationships at credit union boards, league leadership, and C-suite contacts of strategic partner organizations.

Team Leadership

•     Lead, develop, and hold accountable the Director, Channel Partner Management and the broader channel partner team.

•     Establish clear performance expectations, pipeline standards, and activity metrics across the team.

•     Coach the Director and team members on partner relationship strategy, AFA’s value proposition, and executive benefit solutions relevant to AFA’s client base.

•     Build a high-performance channel sales culture that is collaborative, metric-driven, and aligned with AFA’s broader sales organization.

Revenue and Pipeline Accountability

•     Own the channel partner revenue pipeline, setting quarterly and annual targets in partnership with Ryan Millman and the SVP, Sales.

•     Ensure consistent partner-sourced lead generation, qualification, and pipeline advancement across all channel relationships.

•     Collaborate with the Sales team to ensure clean handoffs and strong conversion of channel-sourced opportunities into active cases.

•     Provide regular pipeline and channel performance reporting to Ryan Millman and the principal leadership team.

Enablement and Marketing Collaboration

•     Partner with Marketing to develop co-branded resources, partner toolkits, thought leadership content, and campaign support that drives partner activation.

•     Design and deliver partner education programs covering AFA’s products, SERP and executive benefit solutions, and the credit union and mission-driven organization marketplace.

•     Ensure channel partners are equipped with the knowledge, tools, and support needed to confidently represent AFA’s value proposition.

Technology, Data, and Process Excellence

•     Champion Salesforce CRM adoption and data integrity across all channel partner activity, ensuring accurate tracking of partner relationships, referrals, and revenue.

•     Implement data-driven frameworks for partner performance monitoring, program optimization, and incentive management.

•     Identify and leverage technology platforms that improve partner communication, engagement reporting, and co-selling effectiveness.

What You Bring

Required

•     10+ years of progressive experience in channel sales, partnership development, or business development, with demonstrated success building and scaling channel programs.

•     5+ years of people leadership, including managing directors, senior managers, or multi-person channel sales teams.

•     Proven track record of driving meaningful revenue through indirect channel relationships in financial services, insurance, or a closely related industry.

•     Strong executive presence and the credibility to build relationships at the board and C-suite level within credit unions, healthcare organizations, and nonprofits.

•     Deep experience designing channel partner programs, incentive structures, and co-marketing frameworks.

•     Proficiency in Salesforce CRM and data-driven pipeline management.

•     Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable representing AFA at senior-level industry forums and partner engagements.

Preferred

•     Established relationships within the credit union league system, CUNA, NAFCU, or related trade associations.

•     Familiarity with SERP, split-dollar, COLI/BOLI, executive benefits, or nonqualified deferred compensation solutions.

•     Experience scaling a channel function from early-stage to institutional maturity.